VANCOUVER’S MISSING MEN
Blogroll, Vancouver, World, Canada May 27th, 2008I’ve always had a vague interest in criminology, and this is really fascinating and mystifying. In the past few years a number of adult men have gone missing, mostly in the Vancouver area and some in Kelowna. Disappeared without a trace. No bodies have been found and no clues to their whereabouts. Police say their disappearances are not connected. Some families say they are.
I cannot imagine anything more traumatic for their loved ones than not knowing what has happened to them. There can be no closure for them until the mystery is solved. May 25th was National Missing Childrens Day in Canada, and although these men are adults, they are still someone’s child.
If you know anything about these men, that could help, please contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-222.TIPS (8477)
1. Chilliwack resident Michael Scullion, 30, last seen in Agassiz April 10, 2008.
2. Burnaby resident Kellen McElwee, 25, last seen in Langley March 19, 2008.
3. Langley resident Derek Kelly, 32, last seen at Bridge Lake Jan. 1, 2008.
4. Langley resident John Kahler, 29, last seen at Stave Lake Nov. 2, 2007.
5. Burnaby resident Brian Braumberger, 18, last seen June 1, 2007.
6. Vancouver resident Richard Tamassy, 42, last seen April 15, 2008.
7. Vancouver resident Greg Cyr, 43, last seen Oct. 26, 2003.
8. Vancouver resident Ron Carlow, 38, last seen June 20, 2007.
9. North Vancouver resident Matthew Price, 22, missing since July 15, 2004.
10. North Vancouver resident David McMorran, 45, last seen Feb. 14, 2005.
11. Burnaby resident Patrick Ratto, 43, last seen July 25, 2006.
12. Burnaby resident Terry Beckett, 55, last seen April 21, 2008.
13. Burnaby resident Asim Chaudhry, 24, last seen July 20, 2007.
14. Coquitlam resident Kenneth Shigehiro, 46, last seen March 4, 2008.
15. Chilliwack resident Brandyn Thomas Dirienzo, 20, last seen Oct. 4, 2006.
16. Abbotsford resident Beric Bason, 26, last seen at Loon Lake July 25, 2007.
17. Surrey resident Ranvir (Ron) Atwal, 28, last seen April 5, 2004.
18. White Rock resident Wade MacKenzie, 23, last seen in North Delta Jan. 16, 2008.
19. Kelowna resident Aaron Derbyshire, 22, last seen Sept. 30, 2006.
20. Kelowna resident Michael Bosma, 26, last seen Jan. 9, 2006.
21. Kelowna resident John Ernest Patrick, 40, last seen March 21, 2008.
22. Greenwood resident Gary Hansen, 52, last seen May 27, 2005.
June 7th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Please don’t forget Jeff Surtel, missing from Mission April 29, 2007, and also John Kahler, missing from Stave Lake Nov. 2, 2007. There also have a couple from Langley.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Apologies to any names not mentioned in the list. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
June 13th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
There’s really no mystery to many of these.
Burnaby resident Terry Beckett, 55, last seen April 21, 2008.
• “Terry does have a history of depression and is not currently taking any medications.” (http://bc.rcmp.ca/ViewPage.action?languageId=1&siteNodeId=50&contentId=4284&showDetachmentNames=true)
Vancouver resident Richard Tamassy, 42, last seen April 15, 2008.
• “going through a tough time in his personal life” (http://www.canada.com/theprovince/story.html?id=c4caae4f-3d47-44f5-b861-ba61f8e47802&k=35273)
Chilliwack resident Michael Scullion, 30, last seen in Agassiz April 10, 2008.
• “was in an altercation outside the Agassiz Crossroads Hotel” (http://bc.rcmp.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=50&contentId=3991&showDetachmentNames=true&languageId=1)
Coquitlam resident Kenneth Shigehiro, 46, last seen March 4, 2008.
• “Suffers from depression and requires medication for his condition.” (http://bc.rcmp.ca/ViewPage.action?languageId=1&siteNodeId=50&contentId=3730&showDetachmentNames=true)
White Rock resident Wade MacKenzie, 23, last seen in North Delta Jan. 16, 2008.
• MacKenzie suffers from a mental illness and requires medication. (http://www.canada.com/surreynow/news/story.html?id=a89d7b09-af18-46e5-a5c7-d92473fcbfbd&k=98545)
June 14th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
It is so very important that the men who have gone missing remain in the public consciousness and that their names are mentioned as often as humanly possible. They are sons, brothers, friends, and lovers, who are missed each and every day.
Richard Tamassy was not only a friend of 20 years, but my companion and my rock for the last 4.5. He has been missing since April 15, 2008 without a trace. And although he made it known to those who were closest to him that he might just “disappear” one day, never in our wildest dreams did we think he would make it a reality.
It has been a devastating loss of a young, talented, troubled soul who may not have known how deeply he was and is loved.
He is out there somewhere…
Please keep the hope alive by continuing to post the names of missing men like Richard.
Happy endings–or at least a sense of closure–may be possible with the publics’ continued assistance.
June 17th, 2008 at 11:43 am
This is strange. Something very similar is happening in the Mid-West area in the US. There have been dozens of young, college-aged men listed as missing or who died under strange or suspicious circumstances. There is a theory that one, or possibly a team of serial killers or copy-cat killers are active.
For a reference, please see Minneapolis TV station KQRS or read up on Chris Jenkins.
I wonder if these incidents are related in some way?
June 18th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
They really should be looking at the severed feet washing up onshore. I don’t believe that they are from the men killed in the plane crash for a couple of reasons:
1. The feet wouldn’t be recognizable after so long in the salt water.
2. There were 5 men in the plane crash and one body was recovered. They have found 5 right feet, so they have found one too many right feet.
I think there is a connection from the missing men to the severed feet. DNA should yield some results, but someone out there is trying to get attention for his/her crimes.
June 18th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I want to let the parents of these young men know as a father an older adult Son ,I cannot deal with the horrifc feelings you must have , Please know I will not forget these men and We find them , If some one is behind this please stop ,please seek help , Think of the harm you are doing to so many people,come in seek help ,
June 18th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
When I looked at their faces, they looked liked friends, and people I know. God, I hope they find out what’s going on and that this stops.
June 20th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
People do not just vanish in these kind of numbers. Anyone doing harm to another knows full-well…no body…no crime. It is possible this person is looking for attention in other ways. [feet washing a shore].
It is also entirely possible he has been at this a while. It can take years, and several location changes to perfect one’s operation, and or to avoid detection.
I would like to think the investigators are taking it seriously….It is obvious and well documented that human men are predators. How very tragic that a living , sentient being can be taken from their life and loved ones…at the hands of another ……
June 29th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Please add my son to your list of missing men.
Michael Holburn age 35 was last known living in Cloverdale B.C. His family in Ontario are frantically worried as time passes with no word from Michael since September 2006. We have tried to get a missing persons report on him, but we were told by police that he is of age to disappear if he wants to. I burried my 16 year old daughter 3.5 years ago after her body was dumped by 3 men her senior. She was left to die if front of a garbage dumpster after what was called an accidental drug overdose.
Consummed with her death and how she died, I was in shock and grieving. I still grieve today and I feel that I am starting the grieving process all over again, not knowing where my son is. As a parent I have felt so alone, trying to bring justice for my daughters death…but I don’t feel so alone knowing there are others who are not giving up their search for our missing sons or daughters.
July 17th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
This whole thing is sickening and my feeling is there’s a serial killer at work here for many of these missing men like Kahler and the other guy where both their vehicles were left running and abandoned. This is one guy doing this, someone who’s single and travels routinely for his work or doesn’t work at all so that he can stalk men. I think he deliberately left the vehicle at George Derby as a ruse. Someone has to have seen him. He must take people at gunpoint and drug them to get them away quietly in his own vehicle. I doubt the bodies are anywhere near the location they disappeared from. Attracted to men though his victims aren’t necessarily gay, he just chooses an opportune moment and someone he sexually desires. I think he kidnaps them back to his place. As someone said, without a body evidence is hard to acquire. He probably lives in a rural area, keeps a low profile, probably in the Langley area, knows the traffic routes well, and has a criminal mind that enjoys the media attention. You’re right, he’s probably been doing this for years and I hope they catch this psychopath.